Born in Captivity: The Best Saltwater Fish to Raise in Captivity

Having a saltwater aquarium requires you to keep fish which could be any of three choices; caught in the wild or fish that were caught on a fishing trip or dive; tank-raised ones or those bought from a store that sells already-captive fish; or those that were born and raised in captivity. From a breeder’s standpoint, those that were captive from the start are easier to raise.

The Cardinalfish

Known for their different families—the longfin, Kaudern’s cardinal, and the ones from Banggai—the cardinalfish is also one of the species that are on the verge of extinction due to over-hunting, notably the Banggai cardinalfish. Most owners and sellers, however, counter this by breeding pairs in captivity; it’s prized for its elegant black, white, and silver coloration.

The Royal Blue Tang

This is another fish that became more popular after ‘Finding Nemo’ came out. The Royal Blue Tang is a specimen that lent its appearance to the character Dory. These fish are also great pets in that they leave corals and anemone alone, but you’ll have to feed them live krill or algae. They are known for their distinctive yellow tail and the blue-black pattern on their body.

The Wrasse

They are small and they feature a design that some collectors call ‘psychedelic.’ They also play the role of ‘cleaner’ to most of their tank mates, but that also means your invertebrates should watch it lest they find themselves on the Wrasse’s list of food. Reefs are also a nice addition to a tank with Wrasse, as it is where they stay in most of the time in the wild.

The Seahorse

These fish are famous because of two characteristics—tanks with seahorses are most attractive and they can also be quite tricky to raise. When you import them, they could die from stress; in a tank, they can succumb to even the tiniest hint of diseases. Be ready to feed them often and to care for them from start to finish, as they are pretty finicky.

The Royal Gramma

It’s hard not to spot a Gramma in a saltwater fish tank as they have a unique coloaration—they have a purple body and a yellow tail. These fish don’t hog a lot of fish and are also great additions to a community tank. It’s also famous as one of the fish in the dentist’s tank in ‘Finding Nemo.’

When you’re strapped for choices, these five are outstanding picks for an aquarium with diversity. However, you can also mix and match your personal choices with these recommendations.